You and Me and Our Significant Others
by Mistystream Sootfur's Loyalty
Summary: After being dumped by his girlfriend, Jess contemplates if there is still a Dodger in him, and if he and Rory are truely over. Lit, post series. oneshot. May develop a multi-chapter sequel.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls**

**You and Me and Our Significant Others**

"Jess, are you going out?"

I poke my head out of the bathroom door and glance at Matthew, who is grabbing his keys and stuffing his wallet in his pocket.

"Yup, picking her up in fifteen minutes." I call out to him.

I'm Jess Mariano, and for the first time in almost five years, the 'her' I'm thinking about is not Rory Gilmore. I guess after Rory's last visit, where she totally screwed me over and revealed that she was still with Mr. Blond-Dick-From-Yale, I've finally come to accept that its over. This small part of me had always hoped, even almost six years after the fact, that we'd get a second chance. Or a third. But who's counting.

Nope, Rory Gilmore has moved on. Mr. Blondie is proof of that. And now I have too. Sure, my new girl Jayme is not the EXACT OPPPOSITE of the person I used to be, like Mr. Dick and Rory are. But I'm finally starting to get on with my life, even though I know I'll never fully be able to give up my love for her, which is why its best if I avoid seeing her at all costs. Especially if she's with Mr. Porsche.

Giving myself a final glance in the mirror, I sigh to myself and leave the bathroom. Matthew is already gone, probably to the bar. I pick up my keys, double check that my wallet is stashed with enough cash for dinner, and exit the building, locking up as I do. Matthew and the rest of the boys are never big on locking the place up, but growing up in New York has made me too paranoid to leave the place unlocked.

I reach my car, which is another thing that has changed this way back when. That piece of shit I used to own was finally put to rest last fall, and with the some what steady income I was receiving, had managed to buy myself something a little more durable. The drive to Jayme's apartment takes a little over seven minutes with the traffic, so I'm right on time to pick her up. She called me this morning and asked me for dinner, which is weird for her because she can never usually go out during the week.

I've been going out with her for about a month now, and if it lasts a couple more weeks I might start to call her my girlfriend. Right now I guess she's just my significant other. Not the kind of girl you would bring to a wedding or home for Christmas.

Knocking twice on her door, I wait in silence for her to open it.

"Hey, Jess." she says, an odd smile on her face.

That's when I knew something was up.

"Um, why don't you come in for a minute." she says softly, opening the door wider for me to follow her inside. Beginning to wonder what the heck was going on, I linger into her kitchen, where she stares at me apprehensively. "Would you like a coke?" she offers.

"No thanks." I reply, wanting her to cut to the chase.

"Are you sure?" she urges timidly, and in spite of myself I'm reminding of the first day I was going out with Rory and we were up in Luke's apartment- Damn it! Stop thinking about her!

"Why don't you tell me whats on your mind?" I say slowly.

"Okay.' she gives another awkward smile and takes a deep breath.

And then I know its over.

Thirty minutes later, I'm back in my apartment and on my second beer. Shaking my head, I flee back upstairs to my book stash and look for something to occupy my mind so I don't think about how pathetic I am. I never should have expected it to last this long in the first place.

_"You're a nice guy Jess." she had told me. "But-"_

There always seems to be a 'but' when it comes to my love life. Rory liked me, but she was going out with Dean. Rory and I got together, but I couldn't make it work. I told Rory I loved her, but then I got cold feet and ran.

Like I said, pathetic.

The injustice of it all combines with the beer and I can the bookshelf in anger, which only makes things worse because now I have a throbbing pain in my toe to add to my list of ailments. Cursing, I notice that one of my books has fallen from the shelf and I pick it up.

_Oliver Twist._

I haven't been able to read that book since we broke up. Every time I read the name 'Dodger' I just can't help but remember the girl I worked so hard to get and then so stupidly gave up.

I guess I'm not Dodger anymore.

Fighting off the urge to punch a wall or something, I take the book downstairs and take another dip of my beer. I'll be heading down the same road as my mother if I keep drinking like this. The beer is nearly empty and I'm a hundred pages into someone else's pathetic life when my own self-loathing is broken by the ringing of the phone. I look up, disoriented slightly from the beer and fumble around for the phone.

"Hello?" I grunt into it.

"Hey uh, Jess.. its Luke."

"Howdy Uncle Luke, hows it going?" I say with a smile. Talking to my Uncle almost always presents me with a situation to better my mood in some way shape or form.

"Well, I've actually got some uh.. big-ish news?"

"'Biggish?'" I quote, smiking ino the phone. "Inventing your own words now."

"Shut up." Luke snaps.

"Alright, whats your _big-ish _news?" I laugh.

Luke breaths into the phone. "Lorelai and I are getting married."

"Wow, again?" I can't stop myself from saying. I can practically hear Luke try to think up a retort. "Just kidding." I supply for him. "Congratulations, I'm happy for you." I knew from the moment I met Lorelai that she was totally in love with my Uncle, and from living with him I could tell that he returned the feelings.

"Theres a little bit more." My Uncle goes on.

"Shes not pregnant is she?" I blurt.

"Will you just let me talk!" Luke yells, I can picture his face going insane at the thought of Lorelai being pregnant with his child. I would pay to see someone pop that news on him. "I was hoping you'd be my best man."

"Seriously?" I studder. "Gee, thanks." I'm completely shocked. Why would he choose me. "You know, its kinda sad that I'm the best man you know."

"Yeah, well TJ already offered so I need to choose someone quick." Luke explains.

"Ahh... I understand." My newest stepfather TJ is a complete lunatic. "So is Stars Hollow singing one big happy song together at the news?" I can picture the word spreading around like wildfire and the entire town getting together- ugh.

"Pretty much." Luke says. "But Jess, you see... Rory is going to be the maid of honor."

"Oh.' is all I can think to say. Of course, I should have suspected this. I mean, Rory and her mother are the exact opposite of me and mine, meaning that they're closer than you can imagine. So I should have expected her to be the maid of honor. But- don't the maid of honor and the best man have to like- interact? How I could I do that? How I could I possibly have small talk with her? "Oh hey Rory, how's Mr. Blond-Dick? Give him my best wishes?" No, that wouldn't work.

"Jess, I know it might be a little uncomfortable for you."

"No, no it'll... it'll be fine." I assure him. Yeah right, you big pathetic moron.

"Really?" Luke says in surprise.

"Is she still seeing that jerk?' I blurt out without thinking.

"I thought you would have heard by now." Luke replies. "He proposed."

"Oh." I say for the second time, feeling like all the wind has been knocked out at me. He proposed? Rory Gilmore was the future Mrs. Blond-Dick-From-Yale? How could she possibly let this happen to her?

"She said no." Luke finishes.

Just as quickly, my heart calms down and I feel my head clear.

"She's single again, but Jess, I don't think you should get your hopes up." My uncle sounds sad, and I hate having him pity. He got the girl of his dreams. I didn't. Oh well.

"No, no, umm, listen Luke, I got to go... publishing.." I ramble on. "But Congratulations, give Lorelia my best wishes, and .. take care"

"Bye Jess."

I throw the phone down and drain the last drops out of the bottom of my beer and contemplate how badly I want a cigarette, even though I quit last fall. Shaking off my urges, I go out back for some fresh air and some thinking.

I was definitely going to be at my Uncle's wedding. That was for sure. Rory was also going to be there. Also a given. And we would absolutely have to see eachother. Oh boy...

But why should I be freaking out? Why should I be wondering how things are to work out. She's single- Mr.Blondie is no more. And I'm single to. No more significant others to stand in our way. Just earlier today I was thinking about second chances. I'm pretty sure me and Rory are on at least our fourth chance, maybe more. But I'm I going to give it up? If I really, really, still love her, and I'm going to just let her go again.

I glanced down at the copy of _Oliver Twist_ which I'm still clutching.

Maybe Dodger isn't dead.

I could go back to Stars Hollow, to help Luke prepare for the wedding. I could show Rory how I've picked up the broken pieces of my life. We can get to know eachother again, and maybe, just maybe, have another chance to love.

I'm determined now. Its always been so easy for me to go back to my plans of getting Rory back. But things are going to be different this time. This time, I'm gpoing to follow my heart and tell my running instincts to go to hell. This time, I'm going to give it everything I've got, and more. This time she can't say no.

But if she does, I know that it will be the last time, and that I will finally have to accept that we'll never be together.

But I refuse to give up that easily.

With a new fiery determination in my head, I turn back towards the house and head upstairs to my room. Then I look at the calendar and see how soon I can leave. By midnight, _Oliver Twist_is finished and not on the bookshelf, but in the duffel back that I'm packing.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving for Stars Hollow.

And I'm not coming back without Rory Gilmore.

**This is my first Gilmore Girls fic. I way develop this into a full story- please review if you are interested! I would love to hear anyone's feedback or ideas.**


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